Chapter 46

The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not, and never persist in trying to set people right.

Hannah Whitall Smith

The cold night goes darker and colder in Sograt desert. The only source of light was a small bonfire between the soul linker and the lord knight, who were sitting quietly on the land of sands. Frea looked at Fiorentin after the latter asked for a little chat.

The white haired soul linker opened the conversation, "So, what do you want to talk about, princess? Do you want to ask something?".

"Well….you can say so. Please forgive me if this offends you in any way possible, OK? Do you like younger men?" Fiorentin didn't hold back questioning.

Frea narrowed her eyes before chuckling a little, "What? What makes you say so? Is it because I'm in relationship with Elraven?".

"Mainly? Yes" A straight answer from the younger girl makes Frea sweat dropped, "Wow, princess could be so straight at times like these!".

Frea shook her head, "No. It's not like that at all. I like Elraven cause the way he treats me. Truthfully, he is so gentle and caring. Although his insensitivity could drive me crazy. And we share the same hobby, we like to make poems".

"Elraven love poems? That's news to me!" Fiorentin replied surprisingly, not knowing the fact till just yet.

"Oh, he didn't tell any of you? Clyde stated that Elraven is the national champion of poem competition in Schwaltzvalt Republic. He recited me one of his poems before we left Payon".

"….So, Elraven told her, huh? I wonder why he didn't tell me or the others. Is he too shy to admit he likes poems?" Fiorentin said to herself as she turned her attention to the bonfire.

"Hey, Frea….if you don't mind, please recite a poem for me" Fiorentin asked Frea with a blank expression all of a sudden. It's as if, the lord knight is trying to feel something. But Frea is not insensitive unlike Elraven. So she decided not to question her.

"What kind of poem would you like to hear, Princess Fiorentin?" Frea asked with a gentle smile on her face, trying to enlighten the younger girl. The wind slowly blows away, hurling both ladies hairs a little. "Love poem" Fiorentin finally let Frea knows her answer. Frea takes a deep breath and start reciting,

Walk with me, the path of life,
to explore every bend of the road
Enjoy with me the beauty of life,
along its wonderful way

Find comfort with me, in each other's arms,
when grief crosses our path
Find strength with me, in each other's strength,
when despair lies in wait

Laugh with me, a single true laugh,
to enlighten another's distress
Cry with me, a single true tear,
to understand true happiness

Cherish with me, the wonders of life,
as they need to be preserved
Rejoice with me, in the mysteries,
of what is yet to be

Find peace with me, in each other's souls,
when the world has gone insane
Find love with me, in each other's hearts,
until this life has been fulfilled

And when the path comes to an end
I hope we can say from within
We've known the beauty of true love,
our love came from within

Frea finished her poem as she left Fiorentin looked at her in awe. The former princess couldn't find the exact words to describe her praising. "Wow, you look so surprised princess!!! What happened? " Frea tried to tease the princess.

Fiorentin was too captivated by the poem. It seems the poem took her breath away from her. "Find peace with me, in each other's souls, when the world has gone insane.
Find love with me, in each other's hearts, until this life has been fulfilled. And when the path comes to an end. I hope we can say from within. We've known the beauty of true love, our love came from within" Fiorentin slowly repeated some parts of the poem, erasing the blankness on her eyes.

Frea smiled listening the lord knight, "You like that part, princess? Could it be that, you love poems as well?".

"I can't say I dislike it. My mother….she used to recite me poems whenever she had time. I enjoy listened to her, although I couldn't write poems. She loved poems about love. It makes me think that…love is a great feeling after all" Fiorentin admitted.

Frea smiled and nodded her head, "Love is a great feeling, princess. It changes you. It changes the way you speak, the way you dress, and the way you see things". Her advice gets through the heart of the younger girl, who closed her eyes and said, "The truth is…ever since my parents deaths I have….never felt that feeling anymore".

"What? What are you talking about? What about Sir Alphard?".

"I'm grateful for him accepting me. But the truth is….I still didn't feel that feeling at all. It embarrasses me saying this but….I wants to feel love again. I could feel Felicia, Olivia, and George caring for me and I'm really grateful for that. But…you know, care and love are two different feelings. Do you understand what I'm trying to say, Frea?" Fiorentin tries her bets to hide her red face as she confessed.

Frea widened her eyes listening Alexandria admitting her own feeling. Elraven told her that it's hard for him to understand Fiorentin at all. Frea began to think, maybe Fiorentin isn't hard to understand but she's just unsure of her own feelings.

"Princess, I must say I was…surprised listening your confession, if I may say. But, rest assured, princess. You will definitely feel love again. Trust me!" Frea tried to enlighten the former princess once more time.

"How could you be so sure?" Fiorentin wanted a guarantee.

"Because even when you give up on love, love won't give up on you. Trust me, you'll fine your own destined love" Frea's answer touched Fiorentin's heart. Giving her some flashback on her mother's last words,

"You...won't..be..alone..because...you...will..have..friends..comrades..people...who destined..to..be..with..you...to..protect...you..to..fight...alongside...you..to...live...with..you...even...to..die..for..you."

Before Fiorentin even realized it, a single shred of tears could be seen falling from her eyes. Frea slowly approached her and calmly hugged her, trying to comfort the lord knight. By that time, Fiorentin felt as if she was a helpless little girl again.

"Frea….please recite me another poem" An honest and soft request from the princess. Frea smiled and for the second time in the night, recites another poem,

If I had wings to fly
I'd breathe in deep
and spread them wide
as I leap from the cliff
into the wind
where the gulls glide.

Crossing this wide sea
I glide above cruel waves
that reach up to drown my flight
in their cold
deep
blue-green graves.

And as your day grows slowly light
I'd arrive on worn-out wings
to hold you
in your waking dreams
and feel you soft
and gently warm
in my embrace at last.

The poem pretty much calmed Fiorentin, who whispered softly in the soul linker's ear, "Thank you, sister".

Although she was surprised at the very first seconds, Frea eventually responded, "Your welcome, sister".

****

Well, I made this chapter to further develop the story and the characters. Perhaps I will revise several old chapters to make this story even more readable, LOL!!!

Thank you for reading!! Next chapter will be the war, see u next chap!!!